Chance was restless. More than three weeks had passed since the deadly battle at Kirok's castle. They had defeated the lich. Chance had delt the final blow himself, taking the creature's head and destroying it for good. But the price was high. Very high.

The setting sun bathed the landscape in an eerie crimson glow. Chance sat the edge of the cliff, looking down at the massive graveyard below him. Only half a year ago, the large clearing had in fact been an encampment with hundreds of soldiers. It was full of life. Now the only life were the plants and animals of the forest. It had been only seven months to him, but in this world, it was closer to two and a half decades. Below him, Bolt grazed on the remainder of the wild grasses in the clearing. Chance had to smile slightly to himself. In all his life, he never dreamed he'd ever even ride a horse, let alone come to enjoy it. But he just couldn't stay in that tower all the time, and the stallion seemed to enjoy the long runs as much as, possibly even more than, he did.

His gaze shifted to the large pile of burned wood, or what was left of it. The smile faded. Elena's body had been brought here and burned on a funeral pyre. He and Mau both agreed that it's what she would have wanted. Chance knew that Elena and the Ranger, Cymric, were as close and he and Jake were. He knew that this is where she would have wanted to be, near her best friend. Elena was both a warrior and a sorceress. But she was also a witch. The fact that she had also practiced witchcraft in secret finally came out not long before the battle with Kirok. That certainly explained why Lyxa and her sisters always treated Elena so warmly, when they were as cold as ice to everyone else. Rather than burial, the funeral pyre was what was the most respectful to her beliefs.

He closed his eyes, remembering that night. The moon was full and bright overhead in the clear sky. A cool late autumn wind had blown in from the north. He remembered the flames surrounding the motionless body of his loved one. How they almost seemed to twist and dance about her. Chance believed it was simply his grieving mind playing tricks on him, but he had swore that he heard something carried in the wind. A voice, singing of a phoenix burned on a pyre then rising again from the flames. It was obvious no-one else had heard it. Or if they did, they never reacted or said anything. He remembered that, later, once the flames had consumed Elena's body, the witch Lyxa asked to speak with him, away from prying ears. Her words still echoed in his mind as if she had just spoken them only moments ago.

'Remember that Elena was the keeper of the Moon Talisman, as well as a witch. She served our Goddess, and died in service to her. Those who die in service to the Goddess of Night are rewarded with renewed life. Often they come back as a hart, a bird, or a horse. If ever you see a white hind, a silver nightingale, or a blue-eyed mare, remember that it is the spirit of one who had died in service to our Goddess, returned to the mortal plane. One such beast could even be Elena's spirit reborn. She is not lost. She is where she is meant to be, at peace with the forest she loved so dear.'

Chance opened his eyes and wiped the tear away before it could fall.

"Elena... I miss you so much."

He let out a deep breath, then slowly got up. The clearing at the top of the cliff was very small, but it was one of his two favorite places on this world. It was where Elena always went to practice her sword-fighting skills when she led her army. In a way, by coming here, and to the spring, he still felt he could be close to her. It was the place he first learned of her past. The world she was born into, and the many hardships she faced in her long life. But those hardships were finally over. He could only believe that what Lyxa had told him were true. That she was finally at peace.

Chance walked out of the clearing and towards the narrow path leading down to the graveyard below. He would stay here one more night, then make the three day journey back to the Tower in the morning. The Tower always felt so cold and empty to him. He knew that in a small room near the top of the great tower, was Jake. Elena had used every ounce of strength she had, given her very life force, to restore Jake's life to him. But it wasn't enough. Chance even lent his own strength to her. It had left him very weak. It took him nearly five days to recover, but life finally returned to Jake's body. And left Elena's. The problem was that it still wasn't enough. Jake was in a coma. Mau said that it could take only a few days for him to wake up, or perhaps many years. There was even the possibility that he would never wake up. It had been 24 days now. Almost a full month, and there was no change. The Astral Stone was still black as pitch.

As he walked, he thought about that Stone. Normally, when it's keeper dies, the Stone spits back into the two Talismans, and the pieces teleport themselves away in search of their new keepers to begin the cycle over again. But there were exceptions. If the Stone's keeper temporarily allows another to hold onto it and use it's power, as Elena had done with Jake before they left for the attack on Kirok's castle, then that person becomes the Stone's new keeper upon the other's death. Chance gave a slight chuckle at the thought. Jake was a technological genius. Now he was supposed to become a sorcerer? Well, Elena was actually an aeronautics engineer and a master at computer technology before coming to this world. She then became one of the most powerful mages the Shadow Relm had ever seen.

Once Chance reached the bottom of the cliff, he gave a shrill whistle. Bolt pricked up his ears, then cantered over to him. The large stallion bumped his nose against Chance's chest, wanting the kat to pet him.

"Alright, boy. Let's go."

He patted the stallion's neck then swung lightly up into the saddle. Turning the horse, he headed through the large clearing at a trot, then into the thick forest toward the spring. It didn't take very long to reach the entrance, where the ground became too rocky for the large horse. Chance dismounted and untacked the stallion, setting the saddle and bridle in a small crevasse in the stones. He patted the horse's neck again then gave him a light push on the shoulder, letting the horse know that he could go on his own for the night. Bolt turned and walked off to a small area that still had green grass, despite the early winter chill having turned most of it brown.

The tabby turned and carefully made his way down the steep path. The hot spring kept the small grotto bathed in a constant warm mist, keeping the tropical plants moist and healthy despite the cold nights. Chance knew that this place contained strong magic. Elena had somehow called upon that magic to save his life when he was dying of nerium poisoning. Not only had it purged his body of the poison, but it had also healed all the other wounds, on both him and Jake. This was also the first place he had made love to Elena. Everytime he came here, he could almost feel her presence nearby, as if she were hiding just out of sight, watching him.

Chance sighed and walked over to the large oak tree where his bedroll and saddle bags were. He had been here for four days and nights now. It was the only place in this world where he didn't feel so alone.

The red sun had already disappeared below the horizon. The silver moon had waxed to a large crescent now. About three or four more days and it would reach the first quarter. That still wasn't very much light, but the water of the spring, and the plants that surrounded it, seemed to give off their own gentle glow. Chance's eyes were also adjusting more keenly to the dark nights. He could see quite well in the shadows of the grotto. Removing his shirt and jeans, Chance waded out into the water. He knew how deep the spring was in a few places, but that didn't bother him anymore. Elena had taught him to swim, and he was quite comfortable in the water now.

Moving across to the sheer cliff wall at the opposite side of the spring, he leaned back against the stone, the warm water surrounding him up to his neck. He remained there with his eyes closed. He lost all track of time, letting the hot spring's soothing waters relax him, clearing his mind. Then a soft rustling noise caught his attention. He opened his eyes to find he wasn't completely alone in the grotto. Perched on a low branch of a tree, was a barn owl. The sound had to be the tree's leaves rustling when the owl landed on the branch. Their wings are so silent it would have impossible to have heard it approach. The owl stood there, watching him.

Chance noticed that there was something different about the bird. Normally, the wings and backs of barn owls were a reddish-gold color. This one was a silvery gray. It's eyes also weren't as dark. They were more of a very deep gold and seemed to have a greenish glow when the light caught them just right. Chance stayed quite, watching the owl. Lyxa had told him that those who died in service to the Night Goddess would return as white or silver animals. In some cases, birds. And owls were the favored animal of that Goddess, which is why the spirit bird form of the keeper of the Moon Talisman was a giant owl. The thought tugged at his mind. Finally, he stood up and began to move slowly towards the bird. It spread it's wings and flew off again, back up through the narrow crevasse in the ceiling. Chance sighed and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes again.

"Elena..."

...

For the past several weeks, Chance dreamed almost every night. But they were always nightmares. He relived everything that had happened the past seven months. The battle against Shade Kat. The werekats attacking Megakat City, and their own home, nearly killing both Elena and Jake. Elena becoming a werekat, nearly killing both Jake and him. His capture and torture at the claws of the lich, Kirok... But none of those things were nearly as bad as the nightmares of the final battle. The horrid scenes would play over and over in his mind. Elena's and Jake's deaths seemed to rip a massive hole out of him. Even though Jake's body still lived, due to Elena's sacrifice, his best friend, his 'brother', was still mostly dead. Chance was beginning to believe that Jake would never wake up.

But tonight, his dreams were different. He felt as if a gentle hand was pushing the horrible memories aside, protecting him from the emotional pain. He saw the owl again, it's dark gold eyes watching him. He felt as if it were staring straight into his soul. He didn't fear the owl. In fact, it's presence seemed to sooth him. Then a sound caught his attention. Chance broke his gaze with the owl, and looked around. In his dream, he stood in a small glade, shrouded in mist. Above, the crescent moon shown with a pure silver light. The wind blew gently about him, and the sound became louder. A fiddle, soft and soothing. And added to the fiddle, came a voice. It rang out clear and pure in the night air. He knew that voice. Chance closed his eyes and listened to the song.

I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain. I am the voice of your hunger and pain. I am the voice that always is calling you. I am the voice, I will remain

I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone. The dance of the leaves when the autumn winds blow. Ne'er do I sleep throughout all the cold winter long. I am the force that in springtime will grow

I am the voice of the past that will always be. Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields. I am the voice of the future, bring me your peace. Bring me your peace, and my wounds, they will heal

Chance knew that song. Knew that voice. He had heard it before. Elena loved that song. He had heard her sing it a few times before. Slowly, he opened his eyes again. He was no longer in the misty glade. Mist surrounded him, but it was warm and moist, not the cool, dry mist of the dream. He was awake, in the grotto. But he still heard the fiddle? Still heard the voice! Chance sat bolt upright, looking around. The silver and white owl sat perched on a large rock at the edge of the spring. It's eyes again had that soft green glow. The voice and the fiddle echoed about him in the grotto. It seemed to come from everywhere at once.

The owl spread it's wings, and a soft silver glow seemed to surround the bird.

"Elena?"

It folded it's wings again, and nodded it's head!

Chance's jaw dropped. He slowly stood up and approached the bird. It stayed on the rock, watching him. He thought he was still dreaming. It couldn't be real. The song continued, loud and strong throughout the grotto, a pounding sound like drums adding to the music. The silver glow intensified with the music, until the song suddenly reached it's end. Everything fell into silence. The bird ceased to glow. Chance stopped a few feet away from it. His voice was barely even a whisper.

"It can't be..."

The bird looked straight at him, meeting his gaze. He heard the voice again, echoing softly through the grotto.

I'll always be near. Remember that. Wherever you are, I'll always be near...

The owl spread it's wings again, and flew swiftly up, back out of the grotto.

Chance couldn't speak. He just watched the bird fly away. Watched her fly away. He closed his eyes. The tears that he had held back for so long finally flowed from his dark eyes.

...

The following morning, Chance re-tacked Bolt and began the journey back to the Tower. A cold wind was in the air, and he pulled the leather coat closer around him. The red sun couldn't penetrate the thick canopy of the forest, even thinned as it was, to give him any extra warmth. It was early winter now, and the days were shorter. He wanted to continue on during the nights, but the cold air forced him to stop early each time.

The sun was nearly set on the third day as he finally came within sight of the Tower. Chance rode his stallion at a canter down the road, bringing him to a trot as they approached the stables. The young stable boy had seen his approach and met him at the entrance. The kitten took the stallion's reins and led him into the stable to untack and feed the horse.

Chance turned and walked into the tower. He found Mau in his study. The wizard didn't even turn around when Chance entered.

"Any changes?"

"Actually, yes. Three nights ago, the Stone's color began to change. It's still dark, but the two colors are now visible against each other."

Chance's heart skipped a beat. Three nights... That's when he had seen Elena's spirit!

"Then... that means...?"

The spotted kat nodded, still not turning around.

"Yes. I believe he will wake up soon. Another few days perhaps. A week at most."

The tabby turned and ran out of the room, heading for the staircase. Near the top of the Tower, he came to the room where Jake was. Chance reached for the door's handle with a shaky hand. Slowly, he opened the door and walked inside. Jake still lay on the bed in the small room. He was still in a coma. The Astral Stone had been left around his neck, the Stone itself resting on his chest. Chance walked forward, looking down at his friend. Jake appeared as if he were simply asleep. His chest rose and fell slowly with each breath. The larger kat gently gripped his friend's still hand.

"Come on, Jake. Come back to me, buddy."

He looked down at the Stone. He could clearly see the blue and red spiral. The colors were dark, but he could still see them. The sapphire was a deep ocean blue, and the crimson more a dark burgundy. The silver of the pendant surrounding the stone was of a bright polished shine again. A movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Chance looked to the single small window, and saw a bird fly across the outside of it. A silver and white owl.

...

[Note: The song mentioned in this chapter is The Voice by Celtic Women. A hauntingly beautiful song that, since I began writing the Shadow Trilogy, I had decided was "Elena's song".]